by John Clare (1793 - 1864)
Oh, says the linnet, if I sing
Language: English
Oh, says the linnet, if I sing, My love forsook me in the spring and nevermore will I be seen without my satin gown of green. Oh, says the pretty featered jay, Now my love is gone away And foro the memory of my dear A feather of each sort I'll wear. Oh, says the rook and eke the crow, The reason why in black we go Because our love has us forsook, So pity us poor crow and rook! Oh, says the pretty speckled thrush That changes its note from bush to bush, My love has left me here alone, I fear she never will return.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by John Clare (1793 - 1864), "Birds' lament", appears in Madrigals and Chronicles, first published 1924 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Richard Rodney Bennett (1936 - 2012), "The birds' lament", published 1966 [voice or unison chorus and piano], from The Aviary, no. 1. [text not verified]
- by Henry Tye , "The birds' lament", published 1965. [SSA chorus a cappella] [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 107